The Tennessee Interscholastic Cycling League (Tennessee NICA) is thrilled to announce the return of the State Championship race to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the fourth consecutive year.
This Sunday, October 26th from 9am to 4pm, Raccoon Mountain will host the culmination of the mountain biking season, bringing together an expected 500 middle and high school student-athletes for a high-energy day of racing and community building.
This event proudly reflects the core mission of NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association), which develops interscholastic mountain biking programs for student-athletes across the United States. Through quality events and strong mentorship, the Tennessee League works to establish and maintain safe, quality mountain bike programs.
These efforts provide students with the coaching and camaraderie needed to achieve both competitive and non-competitive goals, foster responsibility toward trails and wilderness, and support every student-athlete in the development of a strong body, mind, character and communities through interscholastic cycling.
This event is supported in part by Outdoor Chattanooga and SORBA.
“The NICA championship is much more than a race; it is an opportunity for students and their families to experience the empowering feeling of goal achievement and community support, just like other more traditional high school sports,” said Gail Loveland Barille, Director of Outdoor Chattanooga. “Chattanooga, with its unparalleled access to world-class trails and our deep-rooted outdoor culture, is the absolute perfect stage for this event. Raccoon Mountain’s complex system of trails offers a true challenge that celebrates the spirit of adventure our city embodies.”
“Large-scale, high-quality athletic events like the NICA State Championship are vital economic drivers for our city,” said Sunshine Loveless, Director of SORBA. “We are proud to support the mountain biking community in any way.”
The championship weekend will be part of a larger celebration of outdoor recreation in Chattanooga, coinciding with other premier events like Chattajack (the 31-mile paddle race on the Tennessee River) and the Five Points 50 endurance mountain bike race at Lula Lake Land Trust. The community is encouraged to get outside and enjoy the vibrant energy these amazing events bring to the area.
The Tennessee NICA Championship is free for spectators and will take place at Raccoon Mountain. Parking and specific race day schedules will be available on the Tennessee NICA website.